Gillette must remove city seal from his campaign literature

Mayor Dennis Gillette has re- moved the city seal from his website in response to an issue brought up by a resident during last week's Thousand Oaks City Council meeting.

"After the meeting I spoke to the city attorney and was advised there's been a change in state law and I couldn't continue to use it," said Gillette, who's running for reelection to the council.

By mid-morning on Sept. 27, the day after the meeting, the seal was gone from his webpage, leav- ing a photo of Gillette, the Ameri- can flag and the Civic Arts Plaza on the banner at the top. He intends to remove the seal from other cam- paign materials, but that process will not be as easy to resolve.

"The printed material is going to have to be modified or de- stroyed and reprinted, and that's a significant financial setback for my grassroots campaign," Gillette said.

Four years ago he used the city seal on his campaign material af-

ter being told by the city attorney it was totally appropriate. He con- tinued the practice this time until he was advised of the change in law, he said.

"I absolutely have to follow the rules and I intend to," Gillette said.

--Nancy Needham